Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Cancer eye:
Squamous cell carcinoma, or cancer eye, is the most common cancer in cattle.
Cattle with white faces, such as Herefords, are more susceptible to this cancer. Sunlight, dust,
and aging are all factors leading to the development of cancer eye. The cancer may first ap-
pear as a smooth, white lesion around or on the eye. As the cancer advances, there may be a
growth of rough, bumpy tissue. The tissue can quickly erode and die. If caught at an early
stage, your veterinarian can attempt removal, but recurrence is common.
Neurological diseases
Rabies:
Cattle are susceptible to rabies, just like any warm-blooded mammal. Due to spend-
ing a lot of time on pasture and their curious nature, cattle tend to investigate any stray animal
wandering onto their stomping ground. A rabid skunk will bite any cow that tries to sniff it,
and many times this is how a cow becomes infected with the rabies virus. Rabies is fatal,
there is no treatment available, and it can be transmitted to cattle caretakers by infected saliva.
Rabies in cattle takes two forms: a furious form and a dumb form. Cattle with the furious
form may charge people or objects, bellow frequently, and may run around frantically. The
dumb form of rabies causes the affected cow to act depressed, drool, and become paralyzed.
Grass tetany:
Grass tetany affects mainly lactating beef cattle on pasture that is low in mag-
nesium. Young, greening grass pastures seem to be the main cause of grass tetany. A cow with
this disorder will have many signs associated with the nervous system. These include hyper-
excitability, staggering, muscle tremors, eyelids that snap open and closed, and convulsions;
affected cows frequently die. Grass tetany can be a herd-wide problem and needs to be treated
early and promptly. Treatment involves moving the cattle off the pasture, keeping them quiet,
and giving either subcutaneous or intravenous magnesium.
Diarrhea-causing diseases
Winter dysentery:
Winter dysentery in cattle is a contagious diarrhea in cattle that runs
through a herd in less than two weeks. It typically occurs during the colder time of the year.
Signs include watery, explosive dark diarrhea, colic, cough, decreased milk production, and
anorexia. Treatment is usually not needed, as the disease is typically self-limiting, although
owners should make sure cattle have adequate water, feed, and possibly mineral supplementa-
tion due to ongoing losses from diarrhea. There is no vaccination against this disease as the
cause of winter dysentery is not entirely certain.
